1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a refrigerator for storing foodstuffs in a fresh and cold state and a method of controlling such a refrigerator, and more particularly to a refrigerator that is capable of sensing a load in a rapid cooling chamber of the refrigerator to control cool air supplied to the rapid cooling chamber and a method of controlling such a refrigerator.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a refrigerator stores foodstuffs (hereinafter, referred to as “stored goods”) in a fresh state for a long time using cool air obtained by a refrigerating cycle. The refrigerator comprises a freezing chamber for storing the stored goods at a temperature below zero, and a refrigerating chamber for storing the stored goods at a temperature above zero.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a conventional refrigerator showing a refrigerating cycle constituted by main components of the refrigerator.
As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional refrigerator comprises: a compressor 2 for compressing coolant to obtain high-temperature and high-pressure coolant; a condenser 4 or condensing the coolant compressed by the compressor 2 so that heat from the compressed coolant passing through the condenser 4 is emitted to air surrounding the condenser 4; an expander 6 for decompressing the liquid-phased coolant condensed by the condenser 4; an evaporator 8 for evaporating the coolant expanded by the expander 6 so that the expanded coolant passing through the evaporator 8 absorbs heat from air surrounding the evaporator 8; a blowing fan 10 for blowing the air cooled by the evaporator 8 to a freezing chamber of the refrigerator or a refrigerating chamber of the refrigerator by forced convection; a load sensing sensor 12 for sensing a load in the freezing chamber or the refrigerating chamber; and a controller 14 for comparing a value sensed by the load sensing sensor 12 with a predetermined value to control the compressor 2 and the blowing fan 10.
FIG. 2 is a schematic front view showing the interior of the conventional refrigerator, FIG. 3 is a side view showing a freezing chamber of the conventional refrigerator, and FIG. 4 is a side view showing a refrigerating chamber of the conventional refrigerator.
In the refrigerator are formed a freezing chamber F and a refrigerating chamber R, which is arranged next to the freezing chamber F, as shown in FIGS. 2 to 4. Between the freezing chamber F and the refrigerating chamber R is disposed a barrier 22, by which the freezing chamber F and the refrigerating chamber R are separated from each other. To the front part of the freezing chamber F is pivotably attached a door 24. Similarly, another door 26 is pivotably attached to the front part of the refrigerating chamber R.
The freezing chamber F is provided at the upper rear part thereof with a cool air inlet hole 27. Also, the freezing chamber F is provided at the lower rear part thereof with a cool air outlet hole 28.
The barrier 22 is provided at the upper part thereof with a cool air inlet duct 29, through which cool air is supplied to the refrigerating chamber R. Also, the barrier 22 is provided at the lower part thereof with a cool air outlet duct 30, through which cool air is discharged from the refrigerating chamber R.
In the freezing chamber F are vertically arranged a plurality of shelves 31, 32, 33, 34, and 35, which are spaced apart from each other. Similarly, another plurality of shelves 31, 32, 33, 34, and 35 are vertically arranged in the refrigerating chamber R. The shelves 31, 32, 33, 34, and 35 vertically arranged in the refrigerating chamber R are also spaced apart from each other. To the rear part of the door 24 are vertically attached a plurality of baskets 36, 37, 38, 39, and 40, which are spaced apart from each other. Similarly, another plurality of baskets 36, 37, 38, 39, and 40 are vertically attached to the rear part of the door 26. The baskets 36, 37, 38, 39, and 40 attached to the rear part of the door 26 are also spaced apart from each other.
At the top of the freezing chamber R is mounted a rapid cooling chamber S for rapidly cooling the stored goods.
The rapid cooling chamber S comprises: a rapid cooling panel 42 with an open front part, which is mounted at the top of the freezing chamber R in such a manner that the rapid cooling panel 42 communicates with the cool air inlet hole 27; and a lid 44 pivotably attached to the rapid cooling panel 42 at the front part thereof.
The operation of the conventional refrigerator with the above-stated construction will now be described.
The load sensing sensor 12 senses the temperature in the freezing chamber F or the refrigerating chamber R to output the sensed temperature to the controller 14, where the sensed temperature, which has been sensed by the load sensing sensor 12, is compared with the predetermined temperature.
When the sensed temperature is higher than the predetermined temperature, the compressor 2 and the blowing fan 10 are operated by the controller 14 (compressor and blowing fan on). When the sensed temperature is lower than the predetermined temperature, the operations of the compressor 2 and the blowing fan 10 are stopped by the controller 14 (compressor and blowing fan off).
When the compressor 2 is operated, low-temperature and low-pressure coolant passes through the evaporator 8. As the coolant passes through the evaporator 8, it absorbs heat from air surrounding the evaporator 8 by means of heat transfer between the coolant passing through the evaporator 8 and the air surrounding the evaporator 8. Consequently, the temperature of the air surrounding the evaporator 8 is lowered. The low-temperature air, i.e., the cool air surrounding the evaporator 8 is supplied to the freezing chamber F or the refrigerating chamber R by the blowing fan 10.
The cool air supplied to the freezing chamber F is introduced into the rapid cooling chamber S via the cool air inlet hole 27 to cool the interior of the rapid cooling chamber S, as shown in FIG. 3. The cool air leaving the rapid cooling chamber S is moved downwardly along the freezing chamber F to cool the stored goods in the freezing chamber F, and then returned to the evaporator 8 via the cool air outlet hole 28.
The cool air supplied to the refrigerating chamber R is introduced into the inner upper part of the refrigerating chamber R via the cool air inlet duct 29, moved downwardly along the refrigerating chamber R to cool the stored goods in the refrigerating chamber R, and returned to the evaporator 8 via the cool air outlet duct 30, as shown in FIG. 4.
As described in detail above, the rapid cooling chamber S of the conventional refrigerator is mounted on the top of the freezing chamber F in such a manner that the rapid cooling chamber S communicates with the cool air inlet hole 27. For this reason, the cool air supplied through the cool air inlet hole 27 is moved downwardly along the freezing chamber F only after it passes through the rapid cooling chamber S. Consequently, the conventional refrigerator has problems in that the load in the freezing chamber F or the refrigerating chamber R may not be rapidly handled when excessive stored goods are present in the rapid cooling chamber S, and in that the stored goods may be excessively cooled when they are stored in the rapid cooling chamber S for a long time.